Obesity and the related condition, syndrome X (or metabolic syndrome) represent two of the most significant causes of morbidity in the western world, and their incidences are growing rapidly. Lifestyle and non-pharmacological approaches have limited efficacy, and particularly in the megaobese (30% or greater of ideal body weight, IBW), pharmacological treatments are being used including stimulants, appetite suppressants and drugs that interfere with fat absorption. Moreover, bariatric surgery has increased dramatically reflecting just how problematic and refractory severe obesity is to alternative less invasive strategies. Bariatric surgery is often effective but comes with significant morbidity in its own right, hence there is a need for a safer and more effective approach.
Gene expression studies have been conducted in the hypothalamus of animals which lived in an optimized enriched environment (where such animals have increased physical and social activity which results in a much healthier and resilient animal). These animals have improved insulin sensitivity, have reduced fat mass and, despite ad libitum food, do not gain weight to obese levels as do control standard housed animals. The inventors' previous gene expression studies showed a consistent elevation in BDNF in the hypothalamus at 2, 4 and 9 weeks of enrichment. Many other genes changed at various timepoints of enrichment but were not consistently upregulated.
There is a need, therefore, for a method to regulate the metabolic and related disorders without the drawbacks associated with the currently recommended treatments.
Considering the above-mentioned, there is also a need for therapeutic strategies to treat such metabolic and related disorders.